1 Samuel 16

1 The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

And the LORD said unto Samuel: 'How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided Me a king among his sons.'

2 Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

And Samuel said: 'How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.' And the LORD said: 'Take a heifer with thee, and say: I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee.'

4 And Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?"

And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said: 'Comest thou peaceably?'

5 And he said, "Peaceful; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

And he said: 'Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.' And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he beheld Eliab, and said: 'Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him.'

7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For humans do not see as God sees, for humans look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

But the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.'

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

9 Then Jesse made Shimeah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen these."

And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'The LORD hath not chosen these.'

11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest. Look, he is tending the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Are here all thy children?' And he said: 'There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.' And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.'

12 So he sent and brought him in. And he was reddish brown, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for he is the one."

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. And the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.

Now the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

15 Saul's servants said to him, "See now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.

And Saul's servants said unto him: 'Behold now, an evil spirit from God terrifieth thee.

16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the harmful spirit is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp; and it shall be, when the evil spirit from God cometh upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.'

17 Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

And Saul said unto his servants: 'Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.'

18 Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and articulate in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

Then answered one of the young men, and said: 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.'

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said: 'Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.'

20 And Jesse took a donkey and loaded it with an omer of bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

21 David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.

22 Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: 'Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.'

23 It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul found relief, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.